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AIADO Studio Culture Statement

May 16, 2017

AIADO Studio Culture Statement

May 2017

The Department of Architecture, Interior Architecture and Design Objects is committed to the interdisciplinary practice of design while providing opportunities for deep disciplinary focus; supporting the intellectual freedom and the individual creative practices of students and faculty; and encouraging the open exchange of ideas within a culture of critical thinking and rigorous making. In studio culture, we value technique, process, and the rigors of making; we expect intellectual and innovative engagement with the city and the world.

The department’s studio culture policy is intended to give students agency, foster trust and respect, and encourage creative risk-taking. Our definition of studio extends beyond the boundaries of our Department and manifests in our community at large through the willingness from students and faculty to engage and explore.

“Studio” can be:

Class; with a syllabus, assignments, a schedule, and a critique; part of a curriculum, with clear communication and full agency that ensures that students get the most out of the learning experience.

Space; both a room and a community, investing in trust and respect among students, faculty, staff, and visitors ensuring the creation of a space and series of activities reflective of our values.

A practice: a mode of doing; also a personal mode: a headspace, a mobile state of inquiry. Studio is a state of openness to new ideas and challenges; a willingness to take risks; an understanding of the importance of focus and rigor.

Studio Culture Statement Review Guidelines:

The Department will open an annual invitation to produce a creative work that interprets and manifests the Studio Culture Policy. This invitation will be managed by the Graduate Student Representative Committee.

The written Studio Culture Policy will be made available for continual comment from the community.

Graduate Student Representative Committee and the Faculty will review the document regularly for accuracy and consistency with School and Department values.

For 150 years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) has been a leader in educating the world’s most influential artists, designers, and scholars. Located in downtown Chicago with a fine arts graduate program consistently ranking among the top programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, SAIC provides an interdisciplinary approach to art and design as well as world-class resources, including the Art Institute of Chicago museum, on-campus galleries, and state-of-the-art facilities. SAIC’s undergraduate, graduate, and post-baccalaureate students have the freedom to take risks and create the bold ideas that transform Chicago and the world—as seen through notable alumni and faculty such as Michelle Grabner, David Sedaris, Elizabeth Murray, Richard Hunt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Cynthia Rowley, Nick Cave, Jeff Koons, and LeRoy Neiman.